I generally back into parking spots, and everyone always gives me a puzzled look about it…

Since about one-third of driving incidents involving officers on duty occur when the cruiser is in reverse, cops are instructed to back into parking spaces when they’re not under pressure. You should do the same thing. The main advantage for you is that it’s much easier to see — and avoid — cross traffic when pulling forward out of a parking space. Ever park between two giant SUVs? As you backed blindly out, your car was perhaps two-thirds into the traffic lane before you could see around the behemoths. When responding to an emergency call, cops can’t, or don’t, take time to back out slowly.